The first phase of the Burullus (pictured above) and New Cairo power stations were inaugurated on Thursday by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Once complete, the power stations will be the largest gas-fired combined cycle power plants in the world, Orascom Construction says. “Orascom and its consortium partner, Siemens, already connected a total of 2,400 MW to Egypt’s national grid at both power plants, exceeding delivery targets by 20%. Once complete, each power plant will generate a total of 4,800 MW.”

We had a quick talk with Orascom Construction CEO Osama Bishai to ask, for starters, how do you exceed delivery target by 20% on what are already the world’s two largest power plants?

Osama Bishai: The original plan from Siemens was for a staggered target based on the delivery sequence of the equipment: First Beni Suef, then Burullus, then the New Capital. It turns out that the New Capital site is almost ideal in its closeness to Cairo — and it had none of the onsite challenges of Burullus or Beni Suef. We added an additional 400 MW over the target capacity at the New Capital. Meanwhile, we’re also involved in other power plant projects and are converting 1,500 MW simple cycle plants we delivered in 2015 to combined cycle by adding an additional 750 MW. We’re also in final negotiations on a 250 MW wind farm with French and Japanese partners.

Tap here to read “Five Questions with Osama Bishai,” which also covers:

• The industries driving Orascom Construction’s Egyptian order book in the next few years;
• How Orascom Construction is doing post the float of the EGP;
• Why the government should tap the private sector to invest in infrastructure.